Usain Bolt has hit back at Michael Johnsn’s claims that the American would have obliterated him had both athletes ever gotten the chance to compete.
Usain Bolt has fired back at Michael Johnson’s claim that he would not have beaten him in a 200m race had they ever competed against each other. The eight-time Olympic gold medalist was quick to remind Johnson that history had already proven him wrong before.
Speaking on The High Performance Podcast in 2024, Johnson had confidently asserted that he would have beaten Bolt, highlighting his own efficiency and superior speed endurance.
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“I have asked Usain that question, and his answer was predictably him, and my answer was predictably me,” Johnson said with a chuckle. “The good thing for both of us is that we never actually have to do that.”
The American sprint legend, known for his upright and mechanically precise running form, dominated the 200m and 400m events in his time. At the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, he became the only male sprinter to win both events at the same Games. His groundbreaking 19.32-second 200m record, set in Atlanta, was thought to be untouchable—until Bolt emerged.
Usain Bolt, the fastest man in history, obliterated Johnson’s long-standing record at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, clocking 19.30 seconds. He then further cemented his legacy in 2009 at the World Championships in Berlin, slashing the record to an astonishing 19.19 seconds—one that remains unbeaten.
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Despite Johnson’s claim that his efficiency and speed endurance would have given him the edge, Bolt had a different perspective when he responded on Justin Gatlin’s Ready Set Go podcast.
“He was the one that said I could not break the world record the same time I broke the world record,” Bolt recalled, referencing Johnson’s live skepticism on TV the night he shattered the 200m mark in 2008. “Remember they had him on TV saying I would not, but I did.”
Bolt, widely regarded as the greatest sprinter of all time, went on to explain why he would have dominated Johnson in a head-to-head 200m race. “He was good, but because I have worked on the 200m so much, I would have won,” Bolt asserted. “Don Quarrie was one of my favorite runners, and he perfected running the corner.”
Over the years, Bolt dedicated himself to mastering the bend—a crucial aspect of the 200m race. “That is one of my biggest pet peeves. If you are going to chase me down—and these are one of the things I had perfected—you have to work,” he explained.
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“When I got to the level where I understood where to run, how to run, and distribute my speed around the corner, I figured that out during my time by working with my coach and understanding the 200m.”
With an unshakable belief in his ability, Bolt left no room for debate. “For me, he had no chance.”